Eurofighter Typhoon jet to get new one billion euro radar

Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain have through their Eurofighter project signed a 1 billion euro (0.83 billion pound) contract to provide their jointly backed Typhoon jet with a new sort of radar, in an effort to secure new orders.

The fighter is produced by Eurofighter partner companies BAE Systems (BAES.L), Airbus (AIR.PA) and Finmeccanica (SIFI.MI), and BAE said it signed a contract worth 365 million pounds ($572 million) to integrate the new radar onto the jets.

Under the deal signed in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Wednesday the Typhoon jet will in future be available with the "Captor E-Scan radar".

The four countries, which had already funded the initial development of the advanced radar, believe that the new radar will help the fighter jet secure new orders from other countries.

"This will give Eurofighter Typhoon one of the most advanced radar systems in the world providing a wider field of regard than any other combat aircraft. Other benefits include increased detection and tracking ranges, advanced air-to-surface capability and enhanced electronic protection measures," BAE said in a statement.

Eurofighter lost out on a $20 billion deal to sell 126 jets to India in 2012. While Saudi Arabia and Oman have ordered Typhoons, Eurofighter suffered a major blow last year when United Arab Emirates quit talks over a possible 6 billion pound order.

Royal Bank of Canada analysts said a new radar for Typhoon would "close a performance gap against most other western-made fighter jets".

Eurofighter's chief executive Alberto Gutierrez said the addition of E-Scan to the jets represented a "pivotal moment" for the project, providing a weapons system which is "unmatched".

A Eurofighter Typhoon starts during the presentation and delivery of the 100th Eurofighter to the German airforce at headquarter of Military Air Systems Centre Cassidian in Manching near Ingolstadt, southern Germany, February 28, 2013.

CREDIT: REUTERS/MICHAELA REHLE

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